Saddle spring

ABSTRACT

A box spring includes a top wire mesh, a bottom frame, and saddle springs positioned between the top mesh and bottom frame. The saddle springs are formed of bent wire and have bottom legs extending into upwardly sloping legs and thence into connecting top transverse legs. The saddle springs are attached to the slats of the bottom frame by forming spring clips in their bottom legs, and resiliently deforming these clips to engage the slats. No other fasteners are required.

United States Patent Ciampa et al.

SADDLE SPRING Inventors: Fred A. Ciampa; Angelo Serafini,

both of East Boston; Louis Mazzarella, Boston, all of Mass.

Assignee: Standard Box Spring Company, East Boston, Mass.

Filed: Nov. 19, 1974 Appl. No.: 525,207

US. Cl 5/247; 5/260; 5/264 B; 267/101 Int. Cl. A47C 23/04 Field of Search 267/101, 108; 5/239, 241, 5/247, 258, 261, 263, 351

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1882 Childers et al. 5/264 B Oct. 28, 1975 794,541 7/1905 Ott 5/264 B 3,206,759 9/1965 Kline 3,546,723 6/1968 Ciampa et a1 5/247 3,681,794 8/1972 Ciampa et a1 5/247 Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard L. Stevens [57] ABSTRACT A box spring includes a top wire mesh, a bottom frame, and saddle springs positioned between the top mesh and bottom frame. The saddle springs are formed of bent wire and have bottom legs extending into upwardly sloping legs and thence into connecting top transverse legs. The saddle springs are attached to the slats of the bottom frame by forming spring clips in their bottom legs, and resiliently deforming these clips to engage the slats. No other fasteners are required.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,914,809

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet2 0f3 3,914,809

FIG 3 Sheet 3 of 3 3,914,809

U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 SADDLE SPRING BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns an improved saddleshaped compression spring and means for attaching it to the bottom frame of a furniture spring assembly such as a box spring.

Saddle springs of the general type to which this invention pertains are shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,681,794 and 3,754,744, assigned to the owner of the present application. These springs have parallel bottom legs extending into upwardly sloping legs, and transverse top legs interconnecting pairs of the upwardly sloping legs. Both. of the aforementioned patents disclose and claim methods for attaching such springs to a top mesh composed of crossed groups of transverse and longitudinal wires, which are welded to one another at their intersections.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,794 also discloses and claims a means for fastening the bottom legs of the saddle springs to a wooden bottom frame of the box spring. This involves the formation of loops in the bottom legs of the saddle springs, insertion of disks into these loops, and the driving of a nail through each disk into one of the slats of the bottom frame. Other known methods of attachment also require the use of separate fasteners, such as staples, nailed straps, clips, or the like. Such methods entail the expense of additional labor for attaching the fasteners, apart from the cost of the fasteners themselves. Furthermore, such fasteners tend to becomeloose and to pull out of the wooden slats. Many previous methods of attaching springs to a bottom frame also require the addition of a mesh of wires to the frame for locating the springs and strengthening the frame.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved means for attaching saddle springs to a bottom frame of a furniture spring assembly; and it is a further object to eliminate the need for fasteners apart from the springs themselves, and for bottom wires. Further objects and advantages will appear as the following description proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out the subject matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed that a clearer understanding may be gained from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a saddle spring according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in side elevation of a furniture spring assembly incorporating saddle springs like that shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 22 in FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the furniture spring assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of a saddle spring according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a furniture spring assembly incorporating saddle springs like that shown I DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a first form 12 or 13 of the improved saddle springis shown incorporated in a furniture spring assembly. Each individual saddle spring, as illustratedin FIG. 1, is bent from a single length of wire to form a transverse top leg 30; a pair of downwardly-sloping generally U-shaped'legs 35 connected to the top leg by bends 32, and having oppositelyinclined portions 34 and 36 or 36, the latter having an inclined portion 38; and a pair of bottom legs 43, which are bent to form spring clips 40. According to the invention, these spring clips serve to mount the saddle springs on the slats -16 of a' bottomframe, eliminating the need for nails, staples, and bottom wires.

Each spring clip 40 is formed by bending the lower end of a leg 35 into a reverse bend 41; an upwardlyextending section 42 joining the bottom leg 43; a spring comprising loop sections'45 and 46; a continuation 44 of the bottom leg 43; a downwardly-extending section 50; and a terminal hook section 52. The spring clip 40 is thus configured to resiliently engage the bottom, top, and sides of a slat 16. To assemble the saddle spring on the slats 16, the spring clip is elastically deformed to engage the section 50 with the side of the slat l6, and seat the hook 52 under one lower corner of the slat, tilting the saddle spring to engage the bottom leg 43 with the top surface of the slat, and-releasing the spring clip to engage the reverse bend 41 under the opposite lower corner of the slat.

A furniture spring assembly incorporating a number of the improved saddle springs 12 and 13 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The assembly includes a bottom frame formed of a series of parallel transverse intermediate slats 16a and end slaats 18, and longitudinal edge slats 20, nailed together as at 21. The saddle springs are arranged in oppositely-disposed pairs attached to each intermediate slat 16, with their spring clips 40 in laterally-adjacent relation as shown in FIG. 3. Saddle springs which project toward one another from adjacent slats 16 have their legs 35 overlapping lengthwise of the assembly, to permitas close a spacing of the slats 16 and the top legs 30 as may be desired to provide any given degree of firmness to the furniture spring assembly.

The springs 12, which are arranged along the longitudinal edges of the assembly, each have one of their downwardly-sloping legs 35 provided with an inclined portion 38 so that the corresponding spring clips 40 may engage the slats 16 and 18 inboard of the edge slats 20, and yet the top legs 30 may extend out to a border wire 25.

A top mesh 22 is formed by welding a series of parallel longitudinal wires 26 to a series of parallel transverse wires 24' at their points of intersection, and welding the ends of both groups of wires to a generally rectangular border wire 25, which extends around the periphery of the top mesh in a conventional fashion. This top mesh is secured to the top legs 30 of the saddle springs, preferably by means of a series of return bends 29 formed in those wires 24 which lie adjacent to the top legs, according to a method which is described and claimed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,794, owned by the assignee of this application. However, other known methods of attachment to the wires, such as separate clips, may be used if desired. Clips 27 are used to attach the saddle springs at the ends of the wire 27.

A modification of the improved saddle spring is shown at 62 in FIG. 4, and a furniture spring assembly incorporating a number of these springs is shown in FIG. 5. The saddle spring 62 is similar to the spring 12 of FIG. 1 in having a transverse top leg 80; a-pair of downwardly-sloping generally U-shaped legs 85 connected to the top leg by bends 82, and having oppositely-inclined portions 84 and 86, the latter having inclined portions 88; and a pair of bottom legs 98. However, the spring 62 differs from the spring l2'in that spring clips 99 are formed without looping the wire. The spring clips 99 are more simply formed by bending the lower ends of the legs 85 into reverse bendsj91'f'u passembly to the border wardly-extending sections 92 joining the bottom legs 98; downwardly-extending sections 100; horizontallyextending sections 102 parallel to the bottom legs"9 8; and terminal hook sections 104. The spring clips99gare thus formed to resiliently engage the bottom, 'top,' .a'nd sides of slats 16. As shown in FIG. 5, the saddle springs 62 are assembled with a bottom frame comprisingslats 16, 18, and 20, and a top mesh 22, in the same fashion as the saddle springs 12, 13 of FIGS. 1-3.

It should be noted that each leg 85 of each spring 62 extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardly-extending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat.

2. A saddle'spring as recited in claim 1, each of said spring clips having connected sections formed to engage the sides, top and bottom of a slat having a substantially rectangular cross-section.

3. A saddle spring as recited inclaim 1, said bottom leg section including means to deform elastically the spring clip formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.

has an inclined portion 88, whereas this is done only in the laterally-outer legs of the springs 12 of FIGS.

l-3, and is not done at all in the springs13. This is a' matter of choice; the springs 62 require less wire than the combination of the springs 12 and 13, but they have the disadvantage of a lower range of deformation within the elastic limit of the wire. I

The choice between springs 12 and 13 of FIGS. l-3 and the springs 62 of FIGS. 4-5 depends upon the greater flexibility of the former and the economy of wire of the latter.

A section taken through an end slat 18 in FIG. 6 illustrates a feature of the invention which serves to accommodate a reinforcing slat 19 attached to the bottom of the end slat; to permit the use of a standard-width spring clip 99 with a slat 18 that is wider than the slats 16; and to lock the spring 62 even more securely in place on the slat 18. To accommodate the oversized width of the slat 18, it is formed with a notch 108 on its outer vertical edge. The presence of the reinforcing slat 19 is permitted by a groove 106 out into its upper surface, into which the hook section 104 is inserted while the spring clip 99 is elastically distorted during assembly. When the spring clip is released, the hook 104 engages the bottom of the groove 106 to assist in securing the saddle spring against accidental displacement.

The improved saddle spring provides a means of attachment to the bottom frame of a furniture spring assembly which obviates the requirement for separate fasteners, yet gives extremely secure resistance to accidental disassembly.

I claim:

1. A saddle spring formed of a permanentlydeformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs, said bottom legs being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly- 4. A saddle spring as recited in claim 3, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.

5. A furniture spring assembly comprising a planar bottom frame formed of connected transverse and longitudinal slats, and a plurality of saddle springs; each of said saddle springs being formed of a permanentlydeformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs; said bottom legs of each saddle spring being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips, and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardlyextending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat.

6. A furniture spring assembly as recited in claim 5, said top legs extending substantially in a common plane parallel to said bottom frame for supporting a top mesh.

7. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said bottom leg section including means to deform elastically the spring clip formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.

8. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.

9. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said spring clips being of a uniform size, said bottom frame including slats of different widths, wider ones of said slats being formed with notches in the sides thereof for accommodating said spring clips.

10. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, together with reinforcing slats attached to the bottoms of at least some of said transverse slats, said reinforcing slats being formed with grooves in upper surfaces thereof for receiving and securing saod terminal hook sections.

l l. A saddle spring as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion.

12. A furniture spring assembly as recited in claim 5,

,wherein one of said upwardly extending legs of at least one of said saddle springs includes an inclined portion.

13. A saddle spring formed of a permanentlydeformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs, said bottom legs being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.

14. A saddle spring as recited in claim 13, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.

15. A saddle spring as recited in claim 13, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion.

16. A furniture spring assembly comprising a planar bottom frame formed of connected transverse and longitudinal slats, and a plurality of saddle springs; each of said saddle springs being formed of a permanentlydeformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joinving a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs; said bottom legs of each saddle spring being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardlyextending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat, and further including means to deform elastically the spring clip, said means formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.

17. A saddle spring as recited in claim 16, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.

18. A saddle'spring as recited in claim 16, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion. 

1. A saddle spring formed of a permanentlydeformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs, said bottom legs being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardly-extending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat.
 2. A saddle spring as recited in claim 1, each of said spring clips having connected sections formed to engage the sides, top and bottom of a slat having a substantially rectangular cross-section.
 3. A saddle spring as recited in claim 1, said bottom leg section including means to deform elastically the spring clip formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.
 4. A saddle spring as recited in claim 3, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.
 5. A furniture spring assembly comprising a planar bottom frame formed of connected transverse and longitudinal slats, and a plurality of saddle springs; each of said saddle springs being formed of a permanently-deformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs; said bottom legs of each saddle spring being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips, and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardly-extending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat.
 6. A furniture spring assembly as recited in claim 5, said top legs extending substantially in a common plane parallel to said bottom frame for supporting a top mesh.
 7. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said bottom leg section including means to deform elastically the spring clip formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.
 8. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.
 9. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, said spring clips being of a uniform size, said bottom frame including slats of different widths, wider ones of said slats being formed with notches in the sides thereof for accommodating said spring clips.
 10. A saddle spring as recited in claim 5, together with reinforcing slats attached to the bottoms of at least some of said transverse slats, said reinforcing slats being formed with grooves in upper surfaces thereof for receiving and securing saod terminal hook sections.
 11. A saddle spring as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion.
 12. A furniture spring assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein one of said upwardly extending legs of at least one of said saddle springs includes an inclined portion.
 13. A saddle spring formed of a permanently-deformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs, said bottom legs being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardly-extending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat, and further including means to deform elastically the spring clip, said means formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.
 14. A saddle spring as recited in claim 13, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.
 15. A saddle spring as recited in claim 13, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion.
 16. A furNiture spring assembly comprising a planar bottom frame formed of connected transverse and longitudinal slats, and a plurality of saddle springs; each of said saddle springs being formed of a permanently-deformed length of resilient material and having, in a normal orientation thereof, a pair of bottom legs joining a pair of upwardly-extending legs, and a top leg joining said upwardly-extending legs; said bottom legs of each saddle spring being bent to form a pair of spaced-apart spring clips and each of said spring clips including in serial order from the juncture thereof with said upwardly-extending legs a reverse bend to engage the bottom of the slat, an upwardly-extending section for engaging one side of the slat, a bottom leg section for engaging the top of the slat, a downwardly-extending section for engaging a second side of the slat, and a terminal hook section for engaging the bottom of the slat, and further including means to deform elastically the spring clip, said means formed integrally with the bottom leg section whereby the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections may be extended outwardly, placed about the slat and then released, the reverse bend, terminal hook section, and upwardly and downwardly extending sections engaging the slat.
 17. A saddle spring as recited in claim 16, said means to deform elastically including loops formed integrally with the bottom leg section.
 18. A saddle spring as recited in claim 16, wherein one of said upwardly-extending legs includes an inclined portion. 